Republican Representative Lauren Boebert from Colorado is receiving criticism from fellow elected officials in her state following the House’s approval of her bill, the Restoring American Energy Dominance Act.
In October, Boebert introduced a bill that aims to repeal a rule proposed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The rule, as stated on BLM’s website, aimed to make changes to the federal oil and gas leasing program. The proposed reforms intended to achieve a balanced approach to development, mitigate conflicts with wildlife habitat and cultural sites, and update fiscal terms to benefit the American taxpayer.
According to a letter signed by more than 100 elected officials from Colorado, critics argue that Boebert’s bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives with a vote of 216-200 on Tuesday, would be detrimental and lacks support from their constituents. These critics believe that the updates made by the BLM to the oil and gas program should not be hindered, as it could potentially suppress American energy companies.
“The current federal system for oil and gas on public lands favors leasing and production, neglecting other valuable uses. This practice deprives Coloradans, as it restricts thousands of acres that could be utilized more effectively and efficiently. Moreover, it places the burden on Coloradans to cover the expenses of addressing abandoned and orphaned wells,” stated the letter, which was directed to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Critics argue that the BLM’s proposed changes to oil and gas leasing are an essential next step in addressing the existing flaws in federal policy. They believe that these reforms should be incorporated into regulations and should also address other issues that were not covered by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
According to the letter, Boebert’s bill ignores the opinions of tens of thousands of Coloradans. The letter also highlights that during the comment period on the BLM’s proposed changes, there were over 260,000 comments received, with over 99 percent expressing support for the rule.
The letter emphasized that a significant number of these comments originated from voters in Colorado. It further stated that this bill completely neglects and dismisses the voices of these voters – our voices.
Three House Democrats, along with 213 Republicans, showed their support for Boebert’s bill on Tuesday. Interestingly, all the “no” votes on the measure were from Democrats. It is worth noting that six Republicans and ten Democrats did not cast their votes on the bill.
In a statement on Wednesday, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise expressed his support for the measure, stating that the proposed rules by the BLM would unjustly raise bonding rates for oil and gas production on federal lands. He argued that this would place an unfair burden on small operators who may struggle to obtain a bond without substantial collateral.
In a video statement to X (formerly Twitter), Boebert expressed her strong criticism of BLM “bureaucrats” and expressed her joy over the passing of her bill. She sees this as a significant step towards curbing President Joe Biden’s “radical Green New Deal agenda.”
“We should shift our approach from imposing regulations to incentivizing producers to foster the creation of well-paying jobs for America. This is particularly crucial in Colorado, where energy production plays a vital role in our livelihood,” emphasized the congresswoman.
Boebert’s proposal was among the six energy-related bills that the House voted on this week, during what Republican members referred to as “energy week.” The other bills that were passed by the chamber criticized various Biden policies designed to reduce carbon emissions and fossil fuel production in the United States, which Republicans labeled as “harmful” and “anti-American.”
